Psalm 23 — The Lord Is My Shepherd

Why families choose it

The reading that carries more funerals than any other — because it does not argue with grief, it walks through it. The valley is named, the shadow is named, and the psalm keeps walking. Congregations of every generation can say it from memory, which turns a reading into a shared act.

Reading it aloud

Read it slower than feels natural — it is six sentences, and everyone present knows them, so nothing is lost by giving each line air. Pause longest before “Yea, though I walk”. If the reader may falter, this is the safest reading there is: the congregation will carry anyone who stops.

In the programme, list it in the order of service as “Scripture Reading — Psalm 23” with the reader’s name beside it. The full text is public domain and may be printed on the life-story or back page.